Short Story Guide

Authors Name
In this assignment you will break down the story into its plot elements to demonstrate your understanding
of the story on both a literal and inferential level to produce a usable guide to the story. Please format your
paper into separate sections with proper headings.
Each section should have details in complete sentences that fully explore the presented element.
Storys Title and Meaning /2
Why is your story titled this way?
What is meant by the title?
What This Story is About /4
This section will be about 200 words and written in paragraph format
This should not be a summary of the story, but instead a discussion about the content and action of
the story
Be sure your response also answers the questions:
1. What is this story about on the surface?
2. What is this story about on a deeper (symbolic) level
3. What purpose is served by this story (does it highlight a larger issue, investigate
a human frailty, represent a class issue etc.)?

Mood /1
Tone and mood are pretty easy to mix up. Tone: how the author feels towards his subject, while
mood is how the reader feels while reading the story. Be sure you are commenting on mood based
on what happens and not your level of frustration. The author intends for the reader to feel a
certain way.
Setting /1
Where and when the story takes place
What is important (if anything) to note about the setting ?
What past events have shaped the current setting?
Point of View /1
From what point of view is the story told?
What purpose does this serve (why is the story told in this manner?)
Characters and Characterization /8
Give each central character their own section (3-4 character selected)
Who are the central characters?
Identify the role this character plays (protagonist, antagonist etc.)
How are these characters characterized? (indirect/direct be sure to discuss)
What do we know about their personalities?
Do they symbolize anything?
Are they stereotypes?
What purpose does this character serve?

Conflict /2
What specifically are the conflicts in the story? Be sure to identify the central conflict along with
any other conflicts that impact the plot
Is the central conflict internal or external?
Person vs?
What causes the conflict?

Symbolism /6
Look for, explain and identify instances of:
Symbolism (objects two min.)
Symbolism (actions two min.)
People
Places
Moral /1
What, if any, is the moral (lesson) of this story?
Theme

/1
Write two well- crafted theme statements
Theme and moral are not the same.
There may be more than two themes, but focus on the two your group feels
are most powerful.

Synthesis : /10
In this section you must find a song with a theme that matches the short story
On the actual assignment sheet write a paragraph (250 words) about the song selection and its
connections to the story. Be sure that you address the theme it is connected to and that you
explain what the song is about on a deeper (metaphorical/ symbolic) level and how that connect to
the story

highlight and identify all the poetic devices in the song

Attach the song and its highlighted poetic devices to your final copy